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Panthers 101 provides 24/7 obsessive sports coverage of the Carolina Panthers as a part of Sports Media 101. For news,
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Just two weeks after suffering a 31-13 drubbing to the New Orleans Saints (10-5) at the Superdome, the Carolina Panthers (11-4) returned the favor by knocking off their division rival 17-13 at rainy Bank of America Stadium on Sunday.

The win gives Ron Rivera's team sole possession of the NFC South lead. Carolina needs a win at Atlanta next Sunday to secure the division crown, a first-round bye and at least one home playoff game.

The momentum shifted often in this back-and-forth game, but it was the Panthers who delivered the final blow to the road-challenged Saints.

Trailing 13-10 with 55 seconds remaining, Cam Newton led the Carolina offense on the decisive five-play, 65-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 14-yard strike to Domenik Hixon.

Newton has repeatedly come up clutch down the stretch, engineering game-winning, fourth-quarter touchdown drives in three of the last six contests.

But the suffocating Panthers defense was the only reason the team was in a position to win at all.

Mike Shula's offense labored against the New Orleans defense for the majority of the game. Carolina struggled to control the clock and convert third downs — two areas the team had excelled in all year.

The disparity in time of possession was glaring, as the Panthers held the ball for just 21:12 to the Saints' 38:48. To boot, the Carolina offense was 0 for 9 on third down.

But Sean McDermott's stingy defense was up to the challenge, sacking Drew Brees a career-high six times and forcing him into two interceptions, the first of which led to a DeAngelo Williams 43-yard touchdown run.

Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro was carted off the field in the second quarter with a leg injury.

The Panthers will head to the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 season. Depending on what happens next weekend, Ron Rivera's team could finish as the No. 1, No. 2, No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the NFC.